Okay, we hadn’t heard of Nintendo’s arcade game Arm Wrestling before.

But it makes sense when you remember its Punch-Out!! games, created by Genyo Takeda, which began life as an arcade unit in 1984. Arm Wrestling launched in arcades back in 1985 and was also created by Takeda as a spin-off series.

It’s become one of Nintendo’s more obscure titles, but we’re here to remember it all with an arm wrestling trip down memory lane.

Become the QUIRKY CHAMPION in Nintendo’s Arm Wrestling Arcade Romp

During our research for Nintendo’s Arm Wrestling it became clear why we’d never heard of it. The thing only ever launched in North America.

And, yes, it was a direct spin-off from the Punch-Out!! game. Anyone who’s played that will notice the same visual similarity.

Now, you must remember Nintendo made its name with popular arcade units such as Donkey Kong (1981). That was a smash hit and put the developer on the international map for the first time.

By 1985 the company had also launched the Nintendo Entertainment System, which was a global smash hit. The success of the home console meant the company was reducing its focus on arcade games.

In fact, Arm Wrestling was Nintendo’s last arcade game it developed and distributed. Nintendo R&D3 was responsible for it creation.

The core gameplay is simple enough. The goal in Arm Wrestling is to become the World Arm Wrestling Champion.

Going up against give computer characters, your task is to PIN THEM TO THE MAT during a timed match—all with the help of the arcade unit’s two buttons and joystick.

The referee is on hand there to start the match. If you press any of the buttons before the game begins you get a foul (you naughty so and so).

Control wise, players must turn the joystick left and then, when one of your opponents makes a funny face, you turn it to the right. Tapping buttons can earn you bonus points as you increase your arm wrestling power.

For 1985 the game is advanced, using cutting-edge graphics and some sound samples that were lifted from the 1973 film Enter the Dragon.

Nintendo regular Koji Kondo (the man responsible for all those iconic NES and SNES Super Mario soundtracks) provided the brief score. Whilst Shigeru Miyamoto (the man responsible for most of Nintendo’s iconic characters and games) provided the art.

Despite all that, Arm Wrestling wasn’t a huge hit with arcade enthusiasts.

Just as a reminder, these arcade units are giant things bigger than six feet. Gamers (back when home consoles and PCs weren’t as big a thing as these days) would go down to arcade stores to play games in there.

It was like a congregation point for geeks and nerds.

All the arcade units would be lined alongside each other, so the units (all by different companies) were all competing for the most quarters.

Arm Wrestling must have seemed like a noteworthy hook for Nintendo to pursue, but it fell flat with gamers. Likely as (apparently) it isn’t much of a fun experience.

Certainly not compared to Punch-Out!! and some critics criticised it for being nothing like arm wrestling is. Which, yes, you’d sort of expect for a deliberately absurd game like this.

And the game wasn’t ported over to the NES, unlike Punch-Out!! (a decision which has made the game legendary in retro gaming circles as it’s now a speedrunning phenomenon—see Summoning Salt).

That decision will have dented its long-term appeal, but we guess Nintendo didn’t see any need for a relatively unsuccessful arcade game to get a port to the NES.

As the Arm Wrestling approaches its 40th anniversary, Nintendo has never shown the game absolutely no love whatsoever over the years.

It’s never had a launch on one of its eShop or Virtual Console online stores. And we can’t see that decision changing anytime soon.

That means Arm Wrestling is very difficult to track down and play. But you may be able to find it in an arcade emporium near you (if you’re lucky).

Or… you can just challenge the next person you meet to an arm wrestling competition! Grrrrrrr! Give it some welly!